Mentorship Program Builds Next Generation of Teachers

The Bayfield School District is helping address Colorado’s ongoing teacher shortage by training its next generation of educators through a hands-on mentorship model, according to the Durango Herald.

Bayfield is one of nine districts statewide participating in the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship program, an “earn while you learn” initiative that allows working adults to gain paid classroom experience while earning college credits toward a teaching degree. The program, launched in 2024 after the passage of State Board Act 23-087, is overseen by the Colorado Department of Education and supported by CareerWise.

The apprenticeship pathway is one of more than 20 routes into the teaching profession developed by the Colorado Department of Education, aimed at expanding the educator pipeline and reducing reliance on emergency credentialing. Colorado Department of Education Chief Talent Officer Margarita Tovar told the Durango Herald that districts across the state continue to struggle to fill positions, particularly following the pandemic, with thousands of vacancies reported in recent years.

Rural districts like Bayfield stand to benefit the most. Tovar told the Herald that smaller communities often face greater hiring challenges and, in some cases, rely on international recruitment to fill gaps—an approach that may not provide long-term stability. Programs like the apprenticeship model are designed to develop educators from within the community, which research shows can improve student outcomes.

The Bayfield program currently includes participants like Tessa Harrmann, who is gaining classroom experience at both Bayfield High School and Bayfield Intermediate School while completing coursework through Colorado Mountain College. She is on track to graduate in 2027.

“This kind of program really helps, because you’re working and making a paycheck at the same time as going to school,” Harrmann told the Durango Herald. “You’re in the field of teaching while making a paycheck, and then you’re also getting to see how students react, and how the school system works.”

Harrmann said the experience has allowed her to directly connect what she learns in her coursework with her day-to-day work in the classroom. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she has also taken on a leadership role with the Bayfield color guard program.

At the center of the model is mentorship. Veteran teachers play a key role in guiding apprentices as they develop their skills in real classroom settings. Bayfield Intermediate School teacher Wendy Benne, who mentors Harrmann, told the Herald the collaborative structure benefits both the apprentice and the classroom environment.

“Having an apprentice in the room creates a really collaborative environment where I can model teaching strategies, give feedback and support them as they develop their own teaching style,” Benne said. “It’s a hands-on way to help them become confident and well-prepared teachers.”

The program reflects a broader regional and statewide effort to create sustainable solutions to staffing challenges by investing in local talent. For school districts across Southwest Colorado, mentorship-based pathways like Bayfield’s offer a practical approach to strengthening the educator workforce while providing meaningful, on-the-job training for future teachers.

For educators considering a move to the region, programs like the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship highlight the strong support systems in place—from district leadership to state-level partnerships—that are working to grow and sustain the teaching profession in rural Colorado.